WordGarden.iogoalmouth
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ɡˈəʊlmaʊθ/
US
Meanings
Noun
the area immediately in front of a goal in a sport such as football or hockey
Beyond the definition
The "goalmouth" is the space directly in front of the goal, where attacks and defenses often come together in a tense moment. It is mostly used in sports such as soccer and hockey. When commentators talk about action "in the goalmouth," they usually mean a shot, a save, or a loose ball or puck right by the net. It often suggests pressure, quick movement, and a real chance to score.
The term "goalmouth" refers to the area directly in front of a goal in sports such as soccer and ice hockey. It usually means the dangerous space right by the opening of the goal, where attackers try to score and defenders try to clear the ball or puck away. The exact size is not always fixed, but the idea is clear: it is the part of play closest to the goal and often the most urgent.
The word is common in match reports and commentary because it helps describe fast, crowded action near the net. A "goalmouth scramble" is a classic example: several players are close together, the ball or puck is loose, and nobody has full control. In that moment, a score, a block, or a clearance can happen in a second.
The image behind the word is simple: the mouth of the goal is its opening. From that idea, "goalmouth" came to mean the space right at that opening. The term is not usually used for every sport with scoring areas, so it sounds natural in soccer and hockey, but not in games like basketball. When you hear that play is happening "in the goalmouth," it usually means the action is very close to a possible score.
Examples
- 1
Football cross
The winger sent a low cross through the goalmouth, but nobody got a touch.
- Domain
in football/soccer, the goalmouth is the area right in front of the goal
- 2
Corner kick
After a corner, the ball bounced around in the goalmouth before the keeper finally grabbed it.
- 3
Chaotic finish
It was a tense match with several goalmouth scrambles in the final ten minutes.
- Phrasegoalmouth scramble
a chaotic moment near the goal, with players trying to score or clear the ball
See also
Similar
- mouth of the goal
- goal area
Shades of meaning
- six-yard box
- goal crease
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- in the goalmouth
- goalmouth scramble
- goalmouth clearance
Explore
- goal line
- penalty area
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- goalmouthnoun